In the News

CNE Physicians Named 2017-18 Best Doctors in America Physicians affiliated with Care New England’s Butler, Kent, and Women
& Infants hospitals have been selected to the Best Doctors in
America® List for 2017-18. Approximately, four percent of doctors in
America earn this prestigious honor, as a result of the biennial Best
Doctors Poll.Details

Care New England and Partners HealthCare Announce Plans to Form Definitive Agreement Care New England Health System of Providence, Rhode Island (CNE), and Partners HealthCare of Massachusetts announced they have agreed to enter into a definitive agreement, the next step in the process for CNE to become part of Partners HealthCare.Details

RI Department of Health Approves Application to Close Memorial Hospital Emergency Department The Rhode Island Department of Health has approved the application to close the Emergency Department at Memorial Hospital. Learn which services will be available beginning January 2, 2018.Details

Care New England Board Takes Important Action Regarding Memorial Hospital The CNE Board of Directors unanimously voted to withdraw Memorial Hospital from the obligated group for its bond debt, and to assume sponsorship of MHRI’s pension plans. These actions represent important next steps as CNE continues to await a decision from the RI Department of Health on its application to close emergency department and inpatient services at the hospitalDetails

Care New England Provides Important Update on Community-Based Care in Blackstone Valley Care New England (CNE) today further detailed plans for sustaining
community-based care in Pawtucket as a result of the Memorial Hospital
application for closure, while also expressing gratitude for the
leadership and guidance provided by both the Governor’s Office and the
cities of Pawtucket and Central Falls throughout this important time for
residents of the Blackstone Valley.Details

Care New England Outlines Initial Plans for Continuity of Community Care in Pawtucket Care New England today announced initial plans for the continuity of community-based care in the Pawtucket region as it works with the Rhode Island Department of Health through the reverse certificate of need process. CNE has also started to engage and work collaboratively with Governor Raimondo’s office and Mayors Donald Grebien and James Diossa.Details

Memorial Hospital Updates To learn more about Memorial Hospital and the future of health care in the Pawtucket region visit carenewengland.org/memorial. Here you’ll find the most up-to-date announcements, insight from Care New England leadership, local news coverage, and more. Click here.Details

Care New England Provides Update on Memorial Hospital Care New England (CNE) provides this update regarding its ongoing efforts to coordinate the announced closure of Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island in Pawtucket. With its primary focus on ensuring patient care and safety during the transition process, hospital leaders are working closely with the Rhode Island Department of Health both on its comprehensive Plan of Closure for Memorial and other changes in service as they develop.Details

Raimondo, Care New England Announce New Center of Excellence to Combat Opioid Overdose Epidemic Governor Raimondo and Care New England (CNE) along with CNE members Butler Hospital, The Providence Center, and Continuum Behavioral Health, today announced a new Center of Excellence for opioid addiction that will offer a longer treatment period and access to substance use disorder services. As part of a comprehensive, nationally-recognized action plan, Rhode Island established a Center of Excellence model to provide outpatient treatment for Rhode Islanders suffering from substance use disorder. Centers of Excellence are certified by the State and offer medically assisted treatment (MAT) and additional supportive services.Details

Memorial Hospital Submits Application for Closure with RI Department of Health Memorial Hospital today submitted its application for closure to the Rhode Island Department of Health as required by the state Hospital Conversions Act. The filing advises the Department of Health that Memorial plans to cease operations as a licensed inpatient hospital and requests the approval of the Director for the elimination of the Emergency Department and certain other services. Following the closure of the hospital, Care New England currently intends to provide certain community-based primary and specialty care services in Pawtucket. Specific to impacted employees of Memorial, Care New England is working to implement a transition plan that would help find placement throughout the system and beyond for those impacted, wherever possible.Details

Quality and Financial Results Highlight Integra as a Leader in Accountable Care The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released the 2016 performance year results for the Medicare Shared Savings Program showing that the Integra Community Care Network realized $8.3 million in savings under the Medicare Shared Savings Program while achieving a 95% quality score. DetailsDetails

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month At the Care New England Breast Health Centers at Kent and Women & Infants hospitals, we dedicate ourselves to expanding research, improving care and understanding, and supporting awareness efforts. We support the strength and courage of the many women who face breast cancer, their family and friends.Details

CNE President and CEO Dennis Keefe Announces Retirement Dennis D. Keefe, president and CEO, Care New England Health System (CNE), will be retiring effective December 31, 2017 after serving in the leadership role since August 2011. Effective January 1, 2018, James E. Fanale, MD, who currently serves as executive vice president, chief clinical officer, and chief operating officer of CNE, will become the interim president and CEO of CNE. Following his retirement, Mr. Keefe will serve as a consultant to CNE for up to one year to assist in a smooth transition of leadership and to provide continued assistance on major pending transactions including partnership opportunities with Partners HealthCare and the acquisition of Memorial Hospital by Prime Healthcare Foundation.Details

The Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI) and Integra
Community Care Network announced the launch of Care
Management Alerts and Dashboards, an innovative new service enabling healthcare
providers to proactively coordinate care and support for 140,000 individuals
throughout Rhode Island. RIQI’s
Care Management Alerts and Dashboards provide near real-time data about
patients admitted to and/or discharged from acute care hospitals and their
emergency departments across the state. Details

Care New England President and CEO Talks About New Affiliation Dennis Keefe, president and CEO of Care New England, recently wrote in the Providence Journal about our exciting new opportunity with Partners HealthCare and how it will enhance care in Rhode Island. Read more.Details

Care New England Cardiovascular Care to Host Third Annual Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Community Forum for Patients Care New England Cardiovascular Care along with the Brigham and Women’s Cardiovascular Associates at Care New England will offer its third annual educational forum, free to the community on Wednesday, May 24, 2017, from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick.Details

Care New England Physicians Named to Rhode Island Monthly's Top Docs 2017 Sixty-one physicians with privileges at four Care New England hospitals – Butler, Kent, Memorial, and Women & Infants hospitals – have been named to Rhode Island Monthly’s 2017 list of Top Docs in Rhode Island.Details

Care New England Announces Letters Of Intent for System and Memorial Hospital Care New England Health System announced today it has elected to join Partners HealthCare of Massachusetts, signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) and agreeing to negotiate exclusively with Partners. The system also announced its selection of Prime Healthcare Foundation to pursue an acquisition of Memorial Hospital.Details

Care New England and Prime Healthcare Foundation Sign Letter of Intent For Future of Memorial Hospital Care New England Health System of Providence, RI (CNE), announced today it has selected Prime Healthcare Foundation to pursue an acquisition of Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket, RI. The CNE Board has voted unanimously to sign a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the non-profit Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity committed to serving all members of the community.Details

Care New England and Partners HealthCare Agree to Explore Affiliation Care New England Health System of Providence, Rhode Island (CNE), announced today it has elected to join Partners HealthCare of Massachusetts, signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) and agreeing to negotiate exclusively with Partners.Details

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day | April 29, 2017 The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Learn more about Rhode Island's community take back events.Details

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Selects Care New England for Five-Year $3.9 million Cooperative Agreement Care New England (CNE) announced it has been selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as the recipient of one of only 32 national Accountable Health Communities model grants, awarding an anticipated $3.9 million for the five-year initiative focused on ensuring high-risk Medicare & Medicaid patients have access to high-quality health care services while also achieving cost savings.Details

Closures for March 14, 2017 Follow the link for updates and closures due to severe weather conditions on Tuesday, March 14.Details

Sen. Whitehouse Introduces Bill to Increase Federal Support For the Next Generation of Women & Infants Clinical Specialists Sen. Whitehouse introduces bill to increase federal
support for the next generation of Women & Infants clinical specialists.

Graduate Medical Education Equity Act would gain Women & Infants as much as $1.5 million annually.

CNE’S Chief Strategy Officer Honored Gail E. Costa, senior vice president and chief strategy officer for the Care New England Health System, has been selected as the 2016 Strategist of the Year by the New England Society for Healthcare Strategy for her professional accomplishments, mentoring of colleagues, and contributions to NESHS as a former board member and president. Details

Southcoast Health, Care New England End Plans to Affiliate In separate actions undertaken by their respective governance Boards,
Southcoast Health and Care New England have voted to terminate their
agreement to affiliate the two not-for-profit health care systems. The
announcement was made today by Jean MacCormack, chair of the Southcoast
Health Board of Trustees, and Charles R. Reppucci, chair of the Care New
England Board of Directors.Details

CNE Doctor Receives Certification in Performance Medicine Dr. Amity Rubeor, of Care New England Sports Medicine has received a certification in performance medicine, focusing on the specialized array of neuro-musculoskeletal and musculoskeletal conditions and injuries in musicians, dancers and other performers. Dr. Rubeor is the only physician in Rhode Island to hold this certification, offered by the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).Details

Two Care New England Doctors Earn $11.1 Million Combined to Participate in National ECHO Study Two Care New England hospitals – Memorial Hospital and Women & Infants Hospital – are among 35 pediatric cohorts who will together enroll more than 50,000 children to study the early environmental origins of health outcomes. The initial award to Memorial is a two-year grant of $6.2 million, and $4.9 million over two years to Women & Infants. Pending successful completion of this “feasibility phase,” an additional five years of funding is expected to be available. DetailsDetails

The Providence Center Introduces New Nursing Advancement Initiative The Providence Center (TPC) recently rolled out the Nursing Clinical Advancement Program, a four-stage scaled curriculum that recognizes and rewards nurses for professional growth. The program is designed to help nurses advance their practice through leadership incentives and skill development while remaining at TPC. DetailsDetails

Affinity Adds Sports Medicine Specialist to StaffAffinity Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, a Care New England-affiliated practice located on the campus of Memorial Hospital, is adding an orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee arthroscopy and lower extremity trauma.Details

Medicare Shared Savings Program Performance Year 2015 Quality and Financial Results The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced
the 2015 performance year results for the Medicare Shared Savings
Program and the Pioneer Accountable Care Organization Model. Details

Integra Community Care Elects New Board Chair Albert Puerini, MD, president and CEO of RI Primary Care Physicians Corporation (RIPCPC), has been elected as Chairman of the Board of Integra Community Care Network, LLC.Details

Southcoast Health and Care New England Submit First Regulatory Filing in Massachusetts for Proposed Affiliation Southcoast Health and Care New England announced today that each health care system has submitted the first of several regulatory filings necessary to move forward with the proposed affiliation.Details

Providence Business News Features Q&A With CNE’s Chief Nursing Officer Angelleen Peters-Lewis, RN, PhD, senior vice president and chief nursing officer for Care New England, was interviewed by the Providence Business News for its “Five Questions” segment earlier this month. The questions focused on the strategy behind CNE’s creation of a systemwide
chief nursing officer position, how decreasing enrollment in nursing programs is having an impact on CNE, and more. To read the interview please visit bit.ly/29ykUja. For more information on the nurses at
the forefront of care our organizations provide to the patients, families and communities we serve, visit carenewengland.org/nursing.Details

Kent and Memorial Hospitals Recognized for Quality Stroke Care by National Organization Kent and Memorial hospitals have been recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for their commitment to quality stroke care. These awards recognize the hospitals’ commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. These quality measures are designed to help hospital teams provide the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients.Details

Statement From CNE on the Department of Health Approval of Reverse Certificate of Need for Memorial Hospital Obstetrics Unit We are very appreciative that Rhode Island Department of Health Director (DOH) Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott approved our request to relocate obstetrical services from Memorial Hospital to Women & Infants and Kent hospitals. We know this was not an easy decision and applaud DOH for its diligent process.Details

Care New England Physicians Named to Rhode Island Monthly's Top Docs 2016 Seventy-four physicians with privileges at four Care New England hospitals – Butler, Kent, Memorial, and Women & Infants hospitals – have been named to Rhode Island Monthly’s 2016 list of Top Docs.

Center for Surgical Weight Loss Now Hosting Info. Sessions at Memorial The Center for Surgical Weight Loss at Care New England is pleased to announce that it will now offer free public information sessions at Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket. The Center for Surgical Weight Loss at Care New England is aimed at helping patients who suffer from obesity and other weight-related diseases obtain optimal weight and a healthier lifestyle. Surgical weight loss procedures include the lap band, sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass.Details

Care New England Celebrates National Nurses Week The largest segment of the nation’s health care workforce consists of more than three million nurses. This is also true of our workforce here at Care New England, with nurses at the forefront of the care that our organizations provide to the patients, families and communities we serve. Please join us in celebrating National Nurses Week by acknowledging the important leadership role our nurses play in making the most of each and every encounter with patients and their families.Details

Southcoast Health, Care New England Move to Next Step in Affiliation Process In separate actions undertaken by their respective governance Boards, Southcoast Health and Care New England have voted to move forward with the proposed affiliation of the two not-for-profit hospital and healthcare systems. The announcement was made today by Charles R. Reppucci, Board Chair for Care New England, and Jean F. MacCormack, Board Chair for Southcoast Health.Details

Integra and UnitedHealthcare to Improve Medicaid Patients’ Health and Health Care in Rhode Island Integra Community Care Network, LLC, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Rhode Island have launched a Medicaid accountable care entity to improve health outcomes, increase patient satisfaction and reduce the overall cost of care for people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Medicaid plan.Details

Grant Awarded to The Providence Center to Improve Veteran's Housing The Providence Center has been awarded a $50,000 grant from The Home Depot Foundation to make improvements to the heating system at Joyce House, a transitional living program for homeless veterans. Learn MoreDetails

Care New England Responds To UNAP Statement In view of the serious financial losses being incurred at Memorial, it is no secret that Care New England has pursued many different options for improving the hospital’s financial viability.Details

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Event at the State House Gastrointestinal health specialists from Women & Infants and Kent Hospitals are set to host a screening event and propose awareness legislation at the Rhode Island State House from 2 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22.

Update on Memorial Obstetrics Services In view of the news reports and social media attention to the situation with the obstetrics service at Memorial Hospital, we want to offer some assurance to our valued patients and their families, as well as to the community-at-large. At this point, there is no set date for the transition of the Memorial obstetrics unit.Details

Board of Directors Announces Restructuring at Memorial Hospital The Care New England Health System Board of Directors today announces a restructuring at Memorial Hospital in response to the shifting national health care industry’s focus from inpatient hospital care to outpatient preventative and primary care.Details

BCBS and Integra Forge Innovative Agreement A new agreement between Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and Integra Community Care Network, LLC will provide 60,000 BCBSRI members a new model of coordinated healthcare delivery. Integra is the partnership of Care New England Health System and its network physicians, Rhode Island Primary Care Physicians Corporation, and South County Health and its network physicians.Details

Care New England Names New Board Chairman Charles R. Reppucci, executive director and chief operating officer of the Providence law firm Hinckley Allen & Snyder, LLC, was elected chairman of the Board of Directors of Care New England at the health care system's recent annual meeting. Reppucci succeeds George W. Shuster, who joined the Care New England board in 1996 and served with distinction as chairman since 2011. Details

Care New England Experts Weigh In on Recent Research About Prenatal Antidepressant Use and Autism Specialists from Women & Infants Hospital, Butler Hospital and Brown University weighed in on the recent publication out of JAMA Pediatrics regarding a possible link between prenatal depression treatment and autism in children. Read the full story on Care New England Talks Your Health. Details

The Center for Surgical Weight Loss at Care New England Achieves National Accreditation Patients seeking surgical treatment for severe obesity and its related
conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving treatment at a
nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for
patient safety and quality of care in the Rhode Island and southern New
England area. Details

Rhode Island Institutions Announce Neuroscience Agreement Rhode Island’s most prominent research institutions engaged in brain science announced that they have entered into a formal agreement to work jointly toward helping solve some of the many mysteries of the brain. The partnership with Lifespan, Brown University, University of Rhode Island, Care New England and Providence VA Medical Center is focused on identifying the causes as well as treatments for a wide-range of diseases and disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury and autism.Details

Rhode Island Foundation Awards Grant to CNE Care New England has received a $520,000 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation to develop a Medicaid Accountable Care Organization that will more effectively manage the physical and behavioral health of Medicaid patients in Rhode Island. Working with Integra Community Care Network, CNE will establish a Medicaid ACO in partnership with Rhode Island Primary Care Physicians Corporation, South County Hospital, federally qualified health centers, the Rhode Island Medicaid office and the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, among others. DetailsDetails

60 Physicians from Care New England Named to 2015-2016 Best Doctors in America List With only five percent of doctors in America earning this prestigious honor, Care New England had four hospitals represented on the 2015 national list. The Best Doctors in America List, assembled by Best Doctors, Inc., results from polling of more than 40,000 physicians in the United States. Details

Care New England and Southcoast Health Agree to Explore Affiliation Care New England Health System and Southcoast Health System, Inc., a four-hospital health care system located in southeastern Massachusetts, announced they have signed a Letter of Intent to engage in exclusive discussions regarding a potential strategic partnership and work toward the goal of forming a new not-for-profit parent organization that would oversee both systems.Details

Care New England Arrhythmia Service Performs First Implant of FDA Approved MRI-ICD in Rhode Island Care New England Cardiovascular Care is now offering patients the first implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) system approved by the FDA for use with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Details

Care New England’s Kent Hospital Successfully Performs First Elective Coronary Angioplasty Kent Hospital successfully completed its
first elective coronary angioplasty after receiving state approval earlier
this year to move forward with both an elective and emergency angioplasty
program. Details

CNE launches Community Connect with independent physician practices Care New England has announced the implementation of Epic’s Community Connect electronic health record (EHR) platform in the Rhode Island Primary Care Physicians Corporation (RIPCPC) practices of Drs. Richard Del Sesto and Al Puerini. The first agreement of its kind in Rhode Island, Community Connect allows independent practices to license an affordable, fully-integrated EHR system to enable seamless and efficient care coordination for patients.Details

Care New England Creates Comprehensive Sports Concussion Center Sports concussion has recently received increased attention
nationwide and the Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1.6 to 3.8
million Americans of all ages get a concussion each year during recreational
activities and sports like football and soccer. To help people suffering from
concussion, CareNE has drawn together a team of medical experts to create the
region's only Comprehensive Sports Concussion Center.
This team works together to treat all aspects of sports concussion.
Details

Cardiovascular Care Taking Part in New Clinical Trial Care New England Cardiovascular Care has announced it is taking part in
the TEMPO clinical research trial. The research will evaluate the effect
of an investigational drug being developed for the treatment of heart
rhythm problems. The study is specific to patients with Implantable
Cardioverter-Defibrillators (ICD) or Cardiac Resynchronization
Therapy-Defibrillators (CRT-D).Details

Care New England Appoints Director of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Informatics C. James Sung, MD, director of Clinical Pathology and Informatics at Women & infants Hospital and vice chief of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, has been named director of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Informatics for Care New England. Details

Sixty-Three Physicians From Care New England Named to Rhode Island Monthly's Top Docs 2015 Memorial, Kent and Women & Infants Hospital affiliations among the mix of the list of 163 Top Docs in the May 2015 issue listing by Rhode Island Monthly. Details

Rhode Island Monthly Top Docs 2014

72 physicians with privileges at Care New England hospitals
have been named to Rhode Island Monthly’s 2014 list of Top Docs.
Congratulations!Details

Center for Surgical Weight Loss Announces New Site for Info Sessions The
Center for Surgical Weight Loss
at Care New England is pleased to announce that it will now offer free
public information sessions at Women & Infants Hospital. The Center
for Surgical Weight Loss at Care New England is aimed at helping
patients who suffer from obesity and other weight-related diseases
obtain optimal weight and a healthier lifestyle. Surgical weight loss
procedures include the lap band, sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass.Details

Butler and Kent Hospitals Providing Overdose Antidote Care New England Health System announced today that two of its hospitals, Butler Hospital, located in Providence and Kent Hospital, located in Warwick, are distributing naloxone, more commonly referred to as Narcan, to patients who have been treated for a drug overdose or who are at risk for an overdose.Details

CNE's Quin and Marran Selected to Participate in National Fellows Program Matthew Quin, RN, MSN, vice president of patient care services at Women & Infants Hospital, and Mary Marran, MS, OT, MBA, vice president of service line integration for orthopedics and brain and behavioral health services for Care New England, have been selected to participate in the 2015 America’s Essential Hospitals Fellows Program, Innovative and Adaptive Leadership: Essential in Times of Change. Details

Care New England Announces Creation of Affinity Primary Care East SideCare New England today announced the creation of Affinity Primary Care East Side, a new primary care medicine practice located on the Butler Hospital campus comprised of physicians, behavioral health consultants and medical assistants.Details

Governor Appoints Dennis Keefe to Co-Chair Medicaid Working Group Governor Gina M. Raimondo has named Care New England CEO Dennis Keefe as co-chair of a working group of health care professionals, patient advocates, businesspeople and other policy leaders focused on addressing the structural challenges facing Rhode Island's Medicaid system. Press ReleaseDetails

CNE Joins National Initiative to Honor End-of-Life Care Wishes Care New England has joined with five other pioneering organizations to support a new effort by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to better prepare health care providers to receive and respect patients’ wishes about end-of-life care.Details

Care New England Cardiovascular Care Welcomes New Cardiologist Care New England Cardiovascular Care announced today the addition of a new cardiologist to its medical staff.Ashish Shah, MD, FACCwill join the Brigham and Women's Cardiovascular Associates at Care New England, further enhancing its growing cardiovascular service line. Dr. Shah will provide services at both Kent and Memorial hospitals.Details

Care New England to Celebrate Annual National Day of Dance Care New England invites you and your family to the National Day of Dance for Your Health event on February 21, 2015, at The Warwick Mall from 12 to 3 p.m. Everybody Dance Now is a program of the Spirit of Women Hospital Network held in 70 communities and attended by more than 70,000 people across the U.S. This year celebrates the 11th Annual National Day of Dance and is the biggest dance party in the United States to increase overall health for women and their families. This is the second year that Care New England will participate in this nationwide event to create healthier communities. Details

Care New England and The Providence Center Approve Formal Affiliation Care New England announced it has finalized its affiliation with The Providence Center, the latest in a series of steps taken by CNE to create partnerships focused on a shared mission to provide integrated health care for the whole person – mind and body, in sickness and in health, in the most supportive setting - home, community, or hospital.Details

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of RI, CNE Launch Maternity Care Initiative Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Care New England and its employed and interested community physicians announced the first phase of an initiative providing an integrated care model and innovative payment model for obstetrical patients. Building on the depth and expertise of leading obstetrician/gynecologists at Women & Infants , the new initiative will strengthen care integration and improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.Details

Clinician Named Inspirational Leader in Hospice and Palliative Medicine Kate Lally, MD, FACP, has been named an inspirational leader in hospice
and palliative medicine under the age of 40 by the American Academy of
Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM). Dr. Lally is one of the
physicians recognized by her peers for innovation in and dedication to
the medical specialty of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and AAHPM.Details